


First Crush

by TheGoodKindOfTrash



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Crushes, Davekat Week 2016, F/F, First Kiss, Kid!Fic, Library, M/M, Romance?, and my family and friends, dey r in LUV, did someone order XTRA CHEESE WITH A SIDE OF ANGST THAT ISNT NEEDED AND BAD DIALOGUE?, how DO you write dialogue, idk how to write good stories, my English teacher would be ASHAMED, okay, this is cheesy, you know the drill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-28
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-08-18 09:01:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8156563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGoodKindOfTrash/pseuds/TheGoodKindOfTrash
Summary: Karkat is a weird kid with a weird personality and weird skin. So is Dave. Dave REALLY wants to be this boys friend.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So I thought I posted this yesterday but I DIDNT so sorry. No one really cares but sorry anyway.

Karkat is a super weird, but interesting, dude in Daves point of view. He has soft brown round eyes that look pretty and messy hair that looks good on him, was but too short to look like a third grader, has a chubby round frame, and all around looks a little more feminine than he wants to look. He constantly wore or held the same black sweater with a grey symbol. He was the opposite of tall, pale skinned and haired Strider who always wore his shades. Karkat, to Dave, looks like a grey marshmallow, if marshmallows were angry and loud. He yells at everything that moves, always sits by himself, reads way too much for his own good, and has weird swears that don't even make sense, like "footfucking asspress". But he's not-so-secretly sensitive and always picked on. His only friends are Kanaya and Terezi, and Kanaya is the only person he seems to like 100% of the time. She acts like his mom and constantly defends him, especially when people dare make fun of his strange skin. Kanaya and Karkats older brother have smooth brown skin, but Karkat has lighter splotches on his hands and face. Dave suspects that's the reason it's always sweater weather with that guy. Karkat is very smart and likes to use big words like Rose. He is troublesome but lovable to teachers, amusing and prey to most peers, and, to Dave, someone to get to know. 

Dave isn't sure why he wants to talk to Karkat so much, but he thinks it has something to do with the butterflies in his stomach. It feels exciting and also scary and nice. It also feels like something girly Bro would probably strife with him for. Either way he's glad he has an excuse to be near Karkat almost every day. Rose and Kanaya are "bffs" even though Jade, Dave, Karkat, and Terezi know they're definitely in love and going to get married soon. John is an obtuse little shit but that's a story for another day. They all share a lunch table together and Dave always nonchalantly sits next to Karkat everyday without fail. And, even more stealthily, he makes sure to come into contact with Karkat at least once a day. No one catches on. Except Rose, but being his superior-in-every-way cousin, he isn't that surprised. She almost always figures out what he's doing or thinking. It sort of reminds him of his older brother, except Rose doesn't make Dave feel really sick in his stomach. 

Okay let's get back on track.

Dave isn't sure how to proceed with Karkat. Is he supposed to ask him if they can be friends? Does he have to talk to him more? Talk to him less? Is there a handbook on making friends? Should he ask Rose? Give up? All he was doing right now was glancing at Karkat from across the room, pretending to read a book as he waiting for the last ten minutes of the school day to pass. He felt his stomach flutter when Karkat sneezed while engrossed in whatever book he was reading. Dave thought he sounded like a cute cat. He looked from the book, to Karkat, to the clock, and then Karkat again over and over until the bell rang. Ms. Paint dismisses them and Karkat runs out of the room before Dave can even stand up. Rose, the wise third grader she is, puts a hand on Daves shoulder and leaves before Dave can register that she was even there. He sighs and leaves too. 

He goes to his apartment and lets himself in, tense until he realizes that Lil' Cal isn't there to great him as usual. In fact, nothing is there. No note to strife, no smuppet cameras, no sixth sense giving him the feeling of being watched. With a mixed sense of relief and frustration he realizes that Bro left again, probably for the usual period of 4 days. And, as usual during these times, Dave heads to the library. 

Dave hates reading, but the library is his favorite place to go when things like this happen because, while it's quiet, there's also the soft sounds of pages turning, gentle tapping of screens and keyboards, whispers and giggles and the beeping sounds going off distantly in the background when someone checks out a book. People are scattered everywhere, sitting, standing, walking, living. He doesn't have to be alone, but he doesn't have to be surrounded by too much commotion. It's soothing to the lonely third grader. He sits in a bean bag chair in one of the reading areas, frustration, sadness, and anxiety swirling inside him as he thinks over all the possible reasons for Bros abrupt leave. He considers telling Rose and Aunt Roxy and moving in with them, as he's considered many times, but looks up to Bro too much to leave him. He thinks this may be a lesson for crying after the last strife. He was too much of a wimp, he didn't even get cut that bad. He doesn't want to think about it anymore. 

And then Daves mind wanders to Karkat and his voice, how caring he is despite the thorny front he has. He thinks of Karkats pretty eyes and pretty face, his fiery personality and baby smooth skin. The butterflies start up again and he almost chokes when he notices Karkat walking towards the teen romance section. Dave follows Karkat with his eyes, face a little flush and head a little light. He thinks he likes Karkat like how Rose likes Kanaya. He feels a little excited and really scared. 

Karkat walks out of the romance section, reading The Fault in Our Stars and headed toward a beanbag across from Dave. Dave wasn't too surprised that Karkat has a book for older kids. Karkat was as smart as he was angry, especially with reading. Karkat looks more relaxed than Dave had ever seen him, eyes looking prettier than usual. And then Dave noticed Karkat was smiling, just barely. Dave felt awkward just staring in silence so he cleared his throat, still looking straight at Karkat. 

Karkat looks up and turns beet red, slamming his book shut. They stare at each other in silence for a bit until Dave spoke.  
"Why are you reading that book? Its for girls and you're looking kind of weird right now sitting there bro." For being a nervous wreck, Dave thought he nailed it. He even added a bro to sound calmer since he felt his face heat up.  
And then Karkat let loose.  
"YOU SHITBAGGING ASS. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN STARING? LEARN SOME MANNERS AND BUY YOURSELF A FEW POUNDS OF RESPECT AND DIGNITY. IF YOU HAVE TO OOGLE MY "COW SKIN" AT LEAST DO IT DISCREETLY SO I DONT HAVE TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH OF A BOOBLESS DICK YOU ARE YOU TRASH HUMPER." His little rant was really loud for being a whisper. Dave was a little shaken and only understood some of what was said. Then his face burned an even brighter red as he tried explain himself.  
"I'm not staring at your skin it's just you were smiling and that was weird because you never smile and its like when you walk in on your parents kissing like in the movies. Not that you're old. And I never saw my parents kiss because I live with my Bro and I don't think he's dating anybody but. I was surprised. Your eyes look nicer. Uh."  
Karkat stares at Dave with a blank look and Dave tries his best to clear everything up as good as a third grader can.  
"Okay. I'm not staring at your skin. I saw you smiling a little and it was a new thing. I coughed so you would know someone was here. It was nice to see you happy because you almost never do. Um. Don't get mad at me."  
Dave begins to speak really fast and nervously, looking at his paper white hands. Karkat squints and then relaxes a little. And then they awkwardly stare at each other. Dave swears he could die right here right now and be okay with it. But he maintains a stony look, one he's been perfecting since he started to walk. 

The silence is thick. He wants to talk but doesn't know what to say. So he decides to sya the first thing on his mind. "Do you know how to draw a penis?" 

They end up talking for hours in the reading corner, growing more comfortable by the minute. Dave manages to forget about home and Bro and concentrate on the fact that he was finally talking to Karkat, casually, one-on-one. He definitely concentrates on the fact that, somehow, the two ended p on the same beanbag chair, side by side. 

Dave thinks he may really like this guy. He hasn't never actually liked anyone like this before, so it's all new, but he wants to kiss his fellow third grader so bad that it hurts him in a way that's different than his cuts and bruises. It feels a little nice. 

It's getting a little dark outside when Karkats older brother finds them. And then Dave feels scared again. He doesn't want to go to his apartment, cold and lonely. And it's Friday. He'll have to stay at home alone without school to distract him. Behind his shades he looks at Karkat as he argues with Kankri. That makes Dave even more panicked. He waits for Kankri to make a move, to initiate a fight, to say mean things like Bros says that leave Dave feeling like he has to throw up, but it doesn't happen. Kankri calmly talks to Karkat and never does more than cross his arms. And that confused Dave so much he stopped listening to the argument and just thinks. He comes to the conclusion that Kankri isn't hitting Karkat here because there would be people who would see. It does the opposite of reassure Dave as he wants to protect Karkat from everything, but he can't do that if he's not near. 

When their quarrel ends Karkat seems to have won and announces that he can stay at the library for 30 more minutes as Kankri sighs loudly, walking away. And then Karkat actually smiles at him. Dave freezes for a second. And now he thinks he likes Karkat a whole lot now that he saw his full smile.

Dave considers what Bro would say to that, what his class mates might think, what could happen if he did the adult thing and fell in love. But he decided he didn't care and he hurriedly grabs Karkats hands and leans in for his first kiss. It's clumsy and awkward and he almost missed, and then it's weird as it can be between two young elementary schoolers whose only reference were movies that Dave rarely saw anyway. 

And with barely a peck Daves confidence leaves as soon as it came. He was a third grader! And he was weak and stupid! He barely started talking to Karkat today and not to mention Karkat was a boy and so was Dave and Bro always said that wanting to kiss boys made him a-

"do you, um, like me?" Karkat squeaks. Dave looks at Karkats mostly dark hand against Daves ghostly pale one. Dave definitely knew the answer.  
"Yes."  
Karkat stood in silence. Dave wanted to cry. He's so used to Karkat looking angry and speaking loudly and making exaggerated hand movements, but right now Karkat looked just as scared and excited as he did. Then Karkat gave an actual whisper.  
"Even with my weird skin?"  
Dave opened and closed his mouth, trying to decide whether or not to tell Karkat of his shame over his albinism, as bro called it. Bro always told him that it made him strange and demon like, especially his eyes, that he was lucky bro was nice enough to pick him up despite him being a child of Satan himself. He was bullied and then ignored until he moved to a new school and told to always wear his shades because "no Strider is going to be a little pussy at any school." 

But Karkat was like Dave, so self conscious at such a young age, already hiding behind a mask. Dave wasn't sure if he should talk to Karkat about it. Once he told him one secret, he might feel tempted to tell more and more and at age nine Dave was already used to being alone. Trusting someone other than Bro was new and felt dangerous. But if he felt like maybe Karkat would be okay with his eyes. Dave let go of his hands, looking at how Karkats face fell. Then, with a shaky hand and tight throat, grabbed his glasses and asked in an equally small voice,  
"Do you still like me?"

 

 

Years later, Dave Strider and Karkat Vantas come back to their hometown and visit one particular library. They head to a familiar reading corner as Karkat becomes engrossed in a romance novel he "JUST PICKED UP FOR NOSTALGIA, YOU GARBAGE-FUCKING TOOTHLESS ASS." Dave sits across from him and, while holding a little jewelry box in his hand, gives a cough. Karkat looks up.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay I just want to mention that at some point I will be posting fics that I have read over, edited, and spent more than an 30 minutes to and hour working on it. They still won't be great but hey I'll try.
> 
> I wanna go home


End file.
